Cabinet okays proposal to sign deal prohibiting nuke weapons

The cabinet today approved a proposal for signing the "Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons", a legally binding instrument of the United Nations for nuclear disarmament.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will sign the treaty during the 72nd UN General Assembly later this month in New York, Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam informed reporters at the secretariat after the cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka.

United Nations adopted the Treaty on July this year by a vote of 122 nations including Bangladesh in favour, one against and with one abstention.

The cabinet also approved the draft of an "Air Services Agreement between Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates". Both the countries signed such agreement in 1988.

Under the proposed new agreement, more than one flight operators nominated by both the respective countries apart from the national flag carriers of Bangladesh and UAE would be able to operate flights.

The agreement will have both Bangla and Arabic versions, the cabinet secretary said adding that the Civil Aviation Authority of the country will have the power to cancel operation of an airline in case of failure to obey the rules, the agreement said.

Planning Division informed the cabinet about the preparations of Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, Alam said.

He said the progress of Bangladesh towards attaining SDGs is so far satisfactory and Bangladesh is now ahead of many countries in this regard.

"We've almost achieved cent percent MDGs and our position is good regarding the SDGs," Shafiul Alam said adding that the government has recently submitted a Voluntary National Report at the UN headquarters on SDGs.

The cabinet also adopted a resolution expressing profound shock at the death of renowned Sadhin Bangla Betar Kendra singer Abdul Jabbar.